On Tuesday January 8th, I participated in the debate on Ultra-Low Emission Vehicles and the impact of low emission vehicles on rural and urban businesses. The Scottish Government has committed to a low-carbon economy, but in rural areas particularly, we see lower uptake in electric vehicles due to the types of vehicles used and machinery operated from finite oil resources.

The Scottish Conservatives have set out a number of measures in our Environment and Climate Change Policy to encourage the use of low emission vehicles, including free parking for electric vehicles, establishing a fund to provide charging ports, and supporting buses and taxis in transitioning to being powered by renewables.  

I have called upon the Scottish Government to ensure that phasing out of petrol and diesel vehicles will not negatively impact rural communities. At present, the uptake of electric vehicles is not nearly what it should be for the SNP to meet their 2030 targets. The Scottish Government must lead the way in collaborative efforts to incentivise use of electric vehicles and -honour its commitment to protect our environment. You can watch my full speech here.